Visitors Will Be Able to Get Up Close and Personal with Clifford, the Park’s Resident Giraffe
With summer officially in session and July 4 weekend right around the corner, the Long Island Game Farm – Wildlife Park & Children’s Zoo is pleased to announce its Giraffe Encounter, which is now officially open to the public. As part of this new exhibit, guests will be given the opportunity to get eye to eye with the park’s resident giraffe, Clifford, who now also has an expanded enclosure.

The new Giraffe Encounter features a short presentation, followed by the opportunity to feed the majestic animal from an elevated platform that overlooks Clifford’s corral, located in the center of the park. For a ticket price of $6 per person, which includes the cost of food, guests will be able to attend this experience on a first-come, first-serve basis daily at 11:30 a.m., weather and animal permitting. Feeding opportunities are subject to Clifford’s appetite and tickets will be available at the gift shop. A video of the encounter can be found online.

“We are very excited to offer this new Giraffe Encounter to our visitors,” says Melinda Novak, Vice President/Co-Owner, Long Island Game Farm. “Clifford has long been a staple resident at the park and we look forward to having guests give him some special attention, in addition to watching him run and play in his expanded enclosure. We have wanted to provide this experience for a long time and we hope that our all of our attendees get the opportunity to visit with Clifford in this new and unique way.”

Native to the African savanna, giraffes are the tallest mammals on Earth, ranging from 14 to 19 feet tall, and have spotted tan coats, though every giraffe has its own unique pattern. All giraffes are herbivores, so their extreme height provides then with the distinct advantage finding buds, leaves and plants that are otherwise untouched by other animals. They eat hundreds of pounds of food each week, but have difficulty drinking from low bodies of water due to their height. Luckily, their plant-based diet provides them with ample hydration. In the wild, giraffes can reach speeds of 35 miles per hour due to their long legs, which are more than six feet long, but they typically cruise at a steady pace of 10 miles per hour. Giraffes’ stature also provides them with the ability to spot approaching predators from miles away, save for when they must bend down into an awkward position to drink water.

The Long Island Game Farm – Wildlife Park & Children’s Zoo is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, including throughout the July 4 weekend.